Bubble Emitting Basketball Goal Stand

ABSTRACT

A basketball goal stand that utilizes a bubble generating device that is housed within an upper portion of a basketball backboard to emit soap bubbles from the upper perimeter of the backboard when a basketball goal is made. It utilizes a tractor fed belt that is passed through a soap mixture filled vessel, and a dynamic air source that dispels air bubbles from loaded soap bubble orifices on the tractor fed belt. Optionally, it may use a bubble venture nozzle to created the bubbles that are emitted fro the backboard. A second embodiment utilizes a floating platform for use in a pool that supports a toroidal ring that houses the bubble generating components. There is no backboard utilized in the pool version.

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialthat is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates, in general, to children's toys, and moreparticularly to sporting goods related toys.

BACKGROUND

As with all sports, practice makes perfect. What separates good athletesfrom great athletes is generally their amount of practice, which in turnis related to the number of years the athlete has been playing thatsport. Getting young athletes to focus on building their skills byrepetitive engagement with the basic drills of a sport is hard.Children's focus is short. Studies have shown that by making repetitivedrill engagement, such as route memorization of multiplication tables,into a fun game, children are able to concentrate both harder and spendmore time with it. The same theory is applicable to repetitive sportsdrills, such as free throw shooting for basketball.

Getting young children to spend more time and effort in sports drills atsuch an early age has benefits both in their eye to hand coordinationand their ability in that sport. Often, it is the ability to excel earlyin an endeavor over their peers, that shapes a child's perception ofthemselves and also how the rest of the world sees them. Simply stated,getting a child to practice a little more may change their entire life.

Thus, a device to entice children to increase the time and focus theyspend practicing a sport such as basketball, would be a welcome tool forthe arsenal of a sports coach, parent or teacher. Such a solution isprovided by the embodiments set forth below.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In accordance with various embodiments, an apparatus for automaticallyejecting a stream of airborne soap bubbles as a reward for passing abasketball through a basketball hoop is provided.

In one aspect, a basketball hoop and supporting structure (basketballgoal stand) with an automated soap bubble emitting system that istriggered as a response for successfully making a shot is provided.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the embodimentsdiscussed without departing from the scope of the invention. Forexample, while the embodiments described above refer to particularfeatures, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments havingdifferent combination of features and embodiments that do not includeall of the above described features.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of particularembodiments may be realized by reference to the remaining portions ofthe specification and the drawings, in which like reference numerals areused to refer to similar components. In some instances, a sub-label isassociated with a reference numeral to denote one of multiple similarcomponents. When reference is made to a reference numeral withoutspecification to an existing sub-label, it is intended to refer to allsuch multiple similar components.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a land embodiment of a bubbleemitting basketball goal stand after emitting a burst of soap bubbles;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a land embodiment of the the bubble emittingbasketball goal stand;

FIG. 3 is a representative view of the first embodiment bubble makingdevice housed within the basketball goal stand;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the tractor feed bubble belt;

FIG. 5 is a partial cutaway front view of the backboard and hooputilizing the first embodiment bubble making device;

FIG. 6 is a representative view of the second embodiment bubble makingdevice;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the bubble ejector of the secondembodiment buddle generating device;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the bubble ejector of the second embodimentbuddle making device;

FIG. 9 is a partial cutaway front view of the backboard and hooputilizing the second embodiment bubble generating device;

FIG. 10 is a representative view of the second embodiment bubble makingdevice housed within the basketball goal stand; and

FIG. 11 is an exploded front view of the land embodiment basketball goalstand supporting structure.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the pool embodiment of basketball goal standsupporting structure, and

FIG. 13 is an exploded front view of the pool embodiment of basketballgoal stand supporting structure,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

While various aspects and features of certain embodiments have beensummarized above, the following detailed description illustrates a fewexemplary embodiments in further detail to enable one skilled in the artto practice such embodiments. The described examples are provided forillustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of theinvention.

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the described embodiments. It will be apparent to oneskilled in the art, however, that other embodiments of the presentinvention may be practiced without some of these specific details. Inother instances, certain structures and devices are shown in blockdiagram form. Several embodiments are described herein, and whilevarious features are ascribed to different embodiments, it should beappreciated that the features described with respect to one embodimentmay be incorporated with other embodiments as well. By the same token,however, no single feature or features of any described embodimentshould be considered essential to every embodiment of the invention, asother embodiments of the invention may omit such features.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers herein used to expressquantities, dimensions, and so forth, should be understood as beingmodified in all instances by the term “about.” In this application, theuse of the singular includes the plural unless specifically statedotherwise, and use of the terms “and” and “or” means “and/or” unlessotherwise indicated. Moreover, the use of the term “including,” as wellas other forms, such as “includes” and “included,” should be considerednon-exclusive. Also, terms such as “element” or “component” encompassboth elements and components comprising one unit and elements andcomponents that comprise more than one unit, unless specifically statedotherwise.

The present invention relates to a novel design for a bubble emittingbasketball goal stand. It signals the player that a basketball haspassed through the hoop by emitting a plethora of soap bubble from theperimeter of the backboard body. To young children, who are often amazedby bubbles, this feedback signal serves to reinforce their success andencourage them to participate longer, thereby seeking further success.The goal stand may be used on both land and water, depending whatsupporting structure is utilized.

As used herein, the land “basketball goal stand” refers to a supportingpost structure that is affixed to a backboard body with a hoop extendingnormally therefrom. The backboard body is not a solid planar substrateas in conventional basketball goals. Rather it has a front planar face,and a rear face held in a generally parallel configuration by acontiguous perimeter side wall so as to create a depth for a cavitythere between for the housing of the bubble generating components of thepreferred or alternate embodiment.

As used herein the pool “basketball goal stand” refers to a floatingcircular structure that has a hollow toroidal ring with an internalcavity for the housing of the bubble generating components of thealternate embodiment. It has no backboard.

Looking at FIGS. 1 and 11 the basic bubble goal stand structure 2 andassembly can best be seen. The bubble goal stand 2 is comprised of aweighted/weightable moveable base body 4 having an axle 6 upon which apair of wheels 8 are mounted. The base body 4 may be a hollow polymershell fillable with a liquid, a hardenable material such a concrete, ora fine shot for the ballast of the overall structure. There is a recess10 formed in the base body 4 to matingly receive and horizontally securepost 12 and its inner peg 14 at a distal end of the post.

To the proximal end of the post 12 is affixed a backboard assembly,comprised of an upper backboard 20 and a lower backboard 14. Thegenerally planar lower backboard 14 has an outer sleeve 16 and an innersleeve 18 housed concentrically in the outer sleeve 16. Each sleeveextends vertically from the lower backboard 14. The inner sleeve 18matingly engages the inner surface of the hollow peg 14 and the outersleeve 16 matingly engages the outer surface of the hollow peg 14 andthe inner surface of the post 12. When assembled, there is a solid,contiguous tubular wall mass from the outside of the post 12 to theinside of the inner sleeve 18. This dual sleeved design ensures lateralstability for the post 12 and the upper backboard 20. This lateralstrength is critical so that the entire structure is able to continuallywithstand the horizontal forces of a basketball striking the upperbackboard 20. The lower backboard 14 also has an inner cavity as theupper backboard 20, that is defined by the thickness of its perimeterside wall.

The upper backboard 20 has a hoop 22 and an activation arm 24 extendingnormally therefrom in the horizontal lane. The upper backboard 20 ismechanically affixed to the lower backboard 14 such that their planarfront faces lie in the same vertical plane. The upper backboard 20 has arigid front planar face and a substantially parallel back face separatedby an outer perimeter side wall. This creates an inner cavity in theupper backboard 20. There is a series of backboard bubble orifices 26about much of the outer perimeter of the upper backboard 20 to allow thepassage of soap bubbles 28 from the inside cavity of the upper backboard20 to the outside atmosphere. In some embodiments, these orifices may beof varying sizes to accommodate different sized bubbles as determined bythe embodiment of bubble generator employed. The upper backboard 20 andlower backboard 14 have a thickness suitable to accommodate and housethe bubble generator and or additional supplies.

The preferred embodiment of the bubble generator 30 (FIG. 3) iscontained in the upper backboard 20. It has a tractor feed linear bubblegenerator bubble belt 32 (FIG. 4) that is pulled around a series oftractor feed pulleys 34 that submerge the bubble belt 32 horizontallyinto a vessel 38 filled with a liquid soap mixture 36. The tractor feedpulleys 34 have a pair of toothed wheels that engage a series of feedorifices 33 that run in rows adjacent the linear edge of the bubblebelt. The feed rate of the bubble belt 32 through the soap mixture issufficient to allow the bubble load orifice 40 in the bubble belt 32 toretain a horizontal soap film across the diameter of the bubble orifice40. The bubble load orifice 40 is now “bubble loaded.” (It is to benoted that while FIG. 4 depicts the bubble belt 32 as having uniformsized and spaced bubble orifices 40, the size of the bubble loadorifices 40 and their spacing may vary considerably to allow for thecreation of various sized bubbles that are ejected at various spacings.)

The tractor feed pulleys need not all be motor driven. The power andtorque available from each motor as well as the physical dimensions ofthe motor available and the length of the bubble belt 32, will dictatethe number of tractor feed pulleys 34 and the number of pulleys thatneed to be driven.

The bubble belt 32 traverses a serpentine route wherein the bubble loadorifice 40 when bubble loaded, passes between a dynamic air nozzle 42and the backboard bubble orifice 26. A fan 44 provides a dynamic airsource and channels it to the various air nozzles 42 about the innerperimeter of the upper backboard 20 via a series of air tubes 46. Theair nozzles 42 are positioned in direct alignment with the backboardbubble orifice 26 such that when there is a stream or burst of airemitted from the air nozzle 42 it will traverse across the bubble loadorifice 40 forming the soap film into a bubble and projecting it out ofthe upper backboard through the bubble orifice 26.

There is a control circuit that operates the bubble generator comprisedof a power supply 48, an activation switch 52 and a timer 50. The fan'spower to develop the air stream is initiated by the downward movement ofthe activation arm 24 when a basketball is passed downward through thehoop. The activation arm 24 is operationally connected to the activationswitch 52. (Although the activation arm 24 is depicted as a verticallymovable arm it is known that it may be any of a multitude of electronicsensors could also be utilized as would be known by one skilled in theart.) A power supply (DC or AC) 48 provides power to one side of theactivation switch 52 that allows electricity to flow through a timer 50and to the fan 44 and the powered tractor feed pulleys 34. The bubblebelt 32 is driven as the fan 44 starts up, with the bubbles beingcreated and disbursed as discussed above. The timer 50 allows power toflow to the fan 44 and tractor feed pulleys 34 for a preset period oftime after the activation arm 24 has been operated to conserve power andliquid soap mixture.

The alternate embodiment bubble generator 54 (FIG. 6) utilizes many ofthe components of the preferred embodiment bubble generator includingthe fan 44, activation switch 52, the timer 50 and the power supply 48as well as a series of air tubes 46 and a liquid soap mixture vessel 38and the liquid soap mixture 36. The initiation of the fan operationremains identical in both embodiments. The alternate embodiment uses abubble venturi nozzle 58 which receives a dynamic air stream from theair tubes 46 to its air inlet port 60 and a flow of liquid soap mixture36 to its soap inlet port 62 that is pumped at a suitable flow rate fromthe soap pump 60 through soap tubes 64. Because of the parabolic shapeof the venture nozzle 58 and the flow rates of both the air and theliquid soap mixture, a bubble is generated and propelled out the bubbleoutlet port 66 which is positioned in alignment with the bubble orifices26 of the upper backboard 20. This provides an array of airborn bubblesdisbursing from the perimeter of the upper backboard 20. The amount andsize of the bubbles generated may be varied by adjustment of the airflow, the soap mixture flow and the composition soap mixture itself

Electrically, the alternate embodiment bubble generator 58 operationdiffers from the preferred embodiment only in that when a basketball ispassed downward through the hoop, the power supply 48 provides power toone side of the activation switch 52 that allows electricity to flowthrough a timer circuit 50, to the fan 44 and to the soap pump 60. Themeeting of the soap mixture from the soap tubes 64 and the fan's streamof air from air tubes 26 the at the venture nozzle, results in thecreation and ejection of soap bubbles from the bubble outlet port 66into the atmosphere. Again, the timer circuit allows power to flow tothe fan 44 and the soap pump 60 for a preset period of time after theactivation arm 24 has been operated to conserve power and liquid soapmixture.

Operation is simple. The soap mixture is prepared. While in the simplestversion this is but liquid soap and water, additional chemicals may beadded to increase color, surface tension and other bubble generatingrelated properties. The bubble generator is powered (AC or DC) and thevessel is filled with the soap mixture. Then the players play the sportas desired wherein bubbles are emitted upon depression of the activationarm 24 when a basketball is passed though the hoop 22.

It is known that the basketball goal stand 2 sees a plethora of shockwaves throughout its life as the backboard is continually bombarded bybasketball. For this reason the components of the bubble generator thatare housed in the cavity of the upper basketball backboard are shockmounted to minimize the vibrational damage from repeated vibrations. Fora similar reason, to reduce the movement of the upper backboard, thereis a dual sleeve design in the upright vertical sections of the post, aheavily weighted base and an extremely rigid upper backboard.

FIG. 12 illustrates the pool version of the basketball goal stand 80.This is a floating circular structure that has a hollow toroidal ring 82with an internal cavity for the housing of the alternate embodimentbubble generator 54. A float base 84 maintains the structure above thesurface of a pool of water. From the top face of the float base 84extend upward a series of arms which support the ring 82 from the floatbase 84 generally parallel to the surface of the pool. About the upperperimeter of the ring 82 are a series of bubble orifices 26 from whichthe bubbles 28 are emitted. On the exterior of the ring is mounted theactivation arm 24 as it has no backboard.

From FIG. 13 it can be seen that the ring 82 is separable into a tophalf 88 and a bottom half 90. In the cavity created between these twohalves reside the components of the alternate embodiment bubblegenerator 54. The two ring halves matingly engage to make a generallywatertight cavity for their housing. This may be by threaded engagementbetween the halves although there are a host of mechanical methods toaccomplish this.

With the exception of the backboard, the pool version functions the sameas the land version, generating a burst of bubbles when a basketballpasses through the hoop and triggers the activation arm.

While certain features and aspects have been described with respect toexemplary embodiments, one skilled in the art will recognize thatnumerous modifications are possible. For example, the methods andprocesses described herein may be implemented using hardware components,software components, and/or any combination thereof. Further, whilevarious methods and processes described herein may be described withrespect to particular structural and/or functional components for easeof description, methods provided by various embodiments are not limitedto any particular structural and/or functional architecture, but insteadcan be implemented on any suitable hardware, firmware, and/or softwareconfiguration. Similarly, while certain functionality is ascribed tocertain system components, unless the context dictates otherwise, thisfunctionality can be distributed among various other system componentsin accordance with the several embodiments.

Moreover, while the procedures of the methods and processes describedherein are described in a particular order for ease of description,unless the context dictates otherwise, various procedures may bereordered, added, and/or omitted in accordance with various embodiments.Moreover, the procedures described with respect to one method or processmay be incorporated within other described methods or processes;likewise, system components described according to a particularstructural architecture and/or with respect to one system may beorganized in alternative structural architectures and/or incorporatedwithin other described systems. Hence, while various embodiments aredescribed with—or without—certain features for ease of description andto illustrate exemplary aspects of those embodiments, the variouscomponents and/or features described herein with respect to a particularembodiment can be substituted, added, and/or subtracted from among otherdescribed embodiments, unless the context dictates otherwise.Consequently, although several exemplary embodiments are describedabove, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to coverall modifications and equivalents within the scope of the followingclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:
 1. A sports trainingapparatus comprising: a weightable base; a vertical post having a distalend and a proximal end, wherein said distal end is affixed to said base;a backboard assembly affixed to said proximal end of said post, whereinsaid backboard assembly has an internal cavity; a bubble generatingdevice housed within said internal cavity of said backboard assembly; aseries of orifices in said backboard assembly for the passage of bubblesfrom said bubble generating device.
 2. The sports training apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein said backboard assembly has an upper backboard with arigid, planar first front face and a lower backboard with a rigid,planar second front face, said upper backboard and said lower backboardaffixed together such that said first and second front faces reside in asame vertical plane.
 3. The sports training apparatus of claim 1 whereinsaid bubble generating device comprises: a dynamic air source; a vesselfilled with a liquid soap mixture; a series of tractor feed pulleys; atleast one of said tractor feed pulleys is a motor driven tractor feedpulley; a tractor fed linear belt with a series of bubble orificesformed therethrough said belt, said belt residing contigously about saidseries of tractor feed pulleys; and a control circuit; wherein saidcontrol circuit activates said at least one motor driven tractor feedpulley so as to pass said belt around said series of tractor feedpulleys and through said liquid soap mixture and to activate saiddynamic air source to provide a stream of air that passes through saidbubble orifices.
 4. The sports training apparatus of claim 2 whereinsaid bubble generating device comprises: a dynamic air source; a vesselfilled with a liquid soap mixture; a series of tractor feed pulleys; atleast one of said tractor feed pulleys is a motor driven tractor feedpulley; a tractor fed linear belt with a series of bubble orificesformed therethrough said belt, said belt residing contigously about saidseries of tractor feed pulleys; and a control circuit; wherein saidcontrol circuit activates said at least one motor driven tractor feedpulley so as to pass said belt around said series of tractor feedpulleys and through said liquid soap mixture and to activate saiddynamic air source to provide a stream of air that passes through saidbubble orifices.
 5. The sports training apparatus of claim 2 whereincontrol circuit has a power supply, an activation switch and a timer. 6.The sports training apparatus of claim 5 wherein said upper backboardhas an activation arm and a hoop extending normally from said firstfront face.
 7. The sports training apparatus of claim 6 wherein saiddynamic air source is a fan that develops a moving stream of air thatpasses from said fan through at least one a series of air tubes.
 8. Thesport training apparatus of claim 7 wherein said activation arm isoperationally connected to said activation switch.
 9. The sport trainingapparatus of claim 1 wherein said bubble generating device comprises: adynamic air source; a vessel filled with a liquid soap mixture; a soappump; a bubble generating venture having a soap inlet port, an air inletport and a venturi nozzle; and a control circuit; wherein said controlcircuit activates said soap pump to provide said soap mixture to saidsoap inlet port of said bubble generating venturi, and activates saiddynamic air source to provide a stream of air to said air inlet port ofsaid bubble generating venturi so as to provide a stream of bubbles thatpasses through said venturi nozzle.
 10. The sport training apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein said bubble generating device comprises: a dynamic airsource; a vessel filled with a liquid soap mixture; a soap pump; abubble generating venture having a soap inlet port, an air inlet portand a venturi nozzle; and a control circuit; wherein said controlcircuit activates said soap pump to provide said soap mixture to saidsoap inlet port of said bubble generating venturi, and activates saiddynamic air source to provide a stream of air to said air inlet port ofsaid bubble generating venturi so as to provide a stream of bubbles thatpasses through said venturi nozzle.
 11. The sports training apparatus ofclaim 9 wherein control circuit has a power supply, an activation switchand a timer.
 12. The sports training apparatus of claim 11 wherein saidupper backboard has an activation arm and a hoop extending normally fromsaid first front face.
 13. The sports training apparatus of claim 12wherein said dynamic air source is a fan that develops a moving streamof air that passes from said fan to said air inlet port through at leastone a series of air tubes.
 14. The sport training apparatus of claim 13wherein said soap pump provides said soap mixture to said soap inletport of said bubble generating venture by a soap tube.
 15. The sporttraining apparatus of claim 14 wherein said activation arm isoperationally connected to said activation switch.
 16. A bubble emittingbasketball backboard assembly comprising: an upper backboard with arigid, planar first front face; a lower backboard with a rigid, planarsecond front face, said upper backboard and said lower backboard affixedtogether such that said first and second front faces reside in a samevertical plane; a power source; a dynamic air source; a vessel filledwith a liquid soap mixture; a soap pump; a bubble generating venturehaving a soap inlet port, an air inlet port and a venturi nozzle; and acontrol circuit in operation connection with said power source; whereinsaid control circuit activates said soap pump to provide said soapmixture to said soap inlet port of said bubble generating venturi, andactivates said dynamic air source to provide a stream of air to said airinlet port of said bubble generating venturi so as to provide a streamof bubbles that passes through said venturi nozzle.
 17. A bubbleemitting sports training apparatus comprising: an upper toroidal ringwith an activation arm extending therefrom, said ring having a series ofbubble orifices formed through a top surface thereof; a lower floatingbase held in a spaced configuration from said upper toroidal ring by aseries of supports affixed there between; a power source; a dynamic airsource; a vessel filled with a liquid soap mixture; a soap pump; abubble generating venture having a soap inlet port, an air inlet portand a venturi nozzle; and a control circuit in operable connection withsaid power source; wherein upon depression of said activation arm, saidcontrol circuit activates said soap pump to provide said soap mixture tosaid soap inlet port of said bubble generating venturi, and activatessaid dynamic air source to provide a stream of air to said air inletport of said bubble generating venturi so as to provide a stream ofbubbles that passes through said venturi nozzle and past said bubbleorifices; and wherein said control circuit, said power source, saidbubble generating venture, said vessel with sop mixture and said soappump are housed within said toroidal ring.